Cleaved
by Mama Huntress
Summary: In which she tried but he made it so hard. Cheating AU SasuSaku
1. Chapter 1

My first published fanfic. There will only be 3 to 4 parts to this story.

Please review, all comments welcome

Disclaimer: I own no characters I this story, just the plot.

Chapter 1

It's always the same. She wakes up to blinding sunlight and the empty space next to her. She thinks she should be used to it by now but that doesn't make her feel any better. She sits up, stretches, and just sits there for a while until she decides to get up. She makes her way through her house to her kitchen to make a cup of coffee.

She thinks about how it all started and how it's all about to end. For the thousandth time, she remembers the mornings she would wake up to him just staring at her from his side of the bed. He had told her he just liked how peaceful she looked when she slept. She remembers the days they'd sit on their small back porch in their little chairs with coffee or tea, depending on the time of day and just appreciate the trees and how they never looked the same as they did the day before. Some days when he was just home and free to spend with her, they'd just curl up on their not so comfortable couch and watch stupid movies that neither of them really payed any attention to. And for the days that he did have work, there was always a kiss to her cheek and an 'I love you' to look forward to.

Little moments like that turned into nothingness over an all too short period of time. Those moments that they spent together were a distant memory now. Because nothing lasts forever and that's just reality.

She thought they could at least squeeze a few more years out of their short-lived happiness but of course her hopes were spurned and thrown to the wind.

Suddenly, he stopped looking at her in the mornings and the trees all looked the same to him. The coffee was a little more bitter each day and the chair next to hers on the porch was covered in the trees' discarded leaves and small bugs.

She started to notice the signs but tried to ignore them because he would never do that to her. She could rationalize the staying late at work and the mixing of smells from his shirts. _There are always people near him so he just happens to pick up all the smells_. And sometimes there's too much work to do during regular hours. _Some overtime is expected_. She knows she still loves him and she has faith in him that he still loves her. She trusts him not to hurt her.

Then came the not so subtle signs that made it harder for her to explain to herself. The lipstick on his shirt, not on the collar but close enough. _Maybe he hugged a coworker in heels and she turned her head at the wrong time. Not the best explanation but it was possible, right?_ And maybe he went to the bathroom and washed his hands and forgot to put his ring back on? _No need to be suspicious because she loves him and he loves her. She believes in him._

Before she knows it, half the day has passed and she needs to start dinner so he can come home to a nice warm home cooked meal. She's not the best cook but everything she makes for him has her love and her appreciation in it. She hears the house phone ring but is too late to answer it so it goes to the answering machine. She hears the person begin to speak and stills when she hears a feminine voice drunkenly say her husband's name.

 _"I miss you,"_ the voice said. _"When are you coming back to me? I'm tired of being your secret. You even left your ring this time. Your wife's gonna be pissed,"_ and the voice begins to laugh and the machine cuts off. The voice makes her imagine the tinkling bells she used to hear in her summers as a child. She tries to think of something to ease her now racing mind, trying to think of answers to her questions that won't break her heart. That won't cause her to have a breakdown right now. Her mind tries and tries but eventually she realizes that none of these answers satisfy her because they aren't the truth. The smoke alarm begins to blare but she can't hear it over the sound of her heart fragmenting.

She now has no choice but to admit that her husband, the love of her life, the keeper of her heart, has been actively breaking it for a while now.

Chapter 1 End


	2. Chapter 2

Cleaved

Thank you for all the reviews and comments I have received so far.

I'm sorry I'm late and I hope this chapter was good enough for you to comment and read again.

Thank you very much

Please review, all comments welcome

Disclaimer: I own no characters in this story, just the plot.

Chapter 2

When he got home that night, he expected to see his wife at the stove or on the couch with her cup of tea and the smell of a hot meal in the air but when he walked through the door, all he got was a dark house and the smell of burned food. When he walked into his kitchen, he saw no mess, no wife, no sign of her but the running dishwasher and the smell. You'd think that with nothing else to do all day, she would've mastered a decently cooked chicken but he let it go. He undid his tie and set his briefcase on the counter, making his way to their bedroom. When he gets to their room, the lights are out, and he sees his wife tucked in and facing away from his side of the be. He thinks about starting a talk with her until he sees her side rising and falling with ease.

He sighs and heads to the bathroom while taking off his work clothes, only leaving his underwear and undershirt on. He'd have to improvise for dinner tonight seeing as how his wife won't be feeding him. He makes his way into the kitchen and pulls out some cereal and milk. He goes to the cabinet to grab a bowl and notices that it looks kind of empty. There were still things in it, a few plastic bowls and plates, but none of the ceramic dishware were missing. He chooses to ignore it and makes his bowl and means against the counter, not wanting to sit down.

He started to notice other little things he didn't see when he first walked in. The dishes that were on the side of the sink, still wet and drying off. The new vase that was usually on the counter is gone, too. The picture frame on the window above the sink is empty but it definitely shouldn't be. That's where they keep one of their wedding photos. Specifically, the one where they are standing on the steps of the reception hall. She's smiling and she's looking at the camera but all he could do was look at her. He remembers the happiest day of his life like it was yesterday. He remembers when the violins started to play and she started to walk down the aisle and he suddenly couldn't breathe. The dress she wore didn't matter to him because nothing could make her look more beautiful than her happiness could and back then she was at her happiest. How could anyone ever compare to his blossom?

Those days are long gone though. He can't even remember the last time they spent a day together. Yeah, he was working more days and longer hours but even the days he had off, he wasn't with her. They used to do everything they could together and it was a life they both were contented to have. What changed, he didn't know but oh man what he would give to have those times back.

Something else was off about their little kitchen but he was too tried for this and he'd have to ask her about this in the morning. Nothing looked the same as when he was there this morning. He could only go to bed and ask about it tomorrow. He even has a day off tomorrow and maybe they could actually spend the day together. He quickly finished the rest of his cereal and put his bowl in the sink. He makes his way to their bedroom and slid in next to his wife. Her back faced him and he fell asleep to the sound of her even breaths.

He dreamt of their backyard days and coffee flavored kisses.

When he woke up, she wasn't lying beside him but he smelled breakfast. He got up and used the bathroom, the milk from last night now exiting his body. He noticed he had slept in more than usual today. After waking up so early for 3 years, you'd think he would wake up at the same time, like clockwork. He grabbed his robe and made his way to the kitchen, following the bewitching smell of what he thinks is bacon eggs and hash browns. He gets to the kitchen and still no sign of his wife. He sees the spread that has been laid out for him, eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, hash browns, toast, and fresh fruit. He decides to wait and goes in search for his wife but he can't seem to locate her.

He then notices that things were missing. Specifically, things that belong to his wife. From the special mugs that she collected to the pictures of her parents. He ran into their bedroom and looked at the closet: her clothes were gone. Ever pair of shoes, every shirt, every pair of pants. He rushed to the dresser and looked at the dual jewelry box they shared and all of her rings, earrings, bracelets. He started to panic. _What's going on? Where is she?_ He ran to the kitchen again and shoved all he food off the table. Ceramic plates hitting the floor and breaking. Food flying everywhere and appliances breaking.

When he finally calmed down and there was nothing left to destroy, he leaned against the counter and noticed a folded piece of paper sitting there, untouched in all his chaos. He opened it up and he could feel his chest start to close in on itself. The only thing going through his mind was the one word written so beautifully in her handwriting: the last thing he apparently had of her. He slowly fell to the floor and with every pound of his new headache came the thought of her message: Goodbye.


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry about the long wait. I know I about updating but I forgot that life happens and boy did it happen… So please bear with me for the last installment that should hopefully come soon.

Thank you all for every comment and suggestion that has been made and I hope you continue to share your ideas and feelings with me. Love you all.

Please review, all comments welcome

Disclaimer: I own no characters in this story, just the plot.

Part 3

When she heard the phone ring, she didn't recognize the number and when she answered, she didn't recognize the voice. But when the voice said she was the wife of her beloved Sasuke, she was a bit taken aback. The voice then continued to invite her out to lunch, she's guesses it's like one of those confrontation lunches she's seen in reality t.v. shows or some stupid romance movies. She accepts the invitation and is actually looking forward to telling her all about who she is to Sasuke and how that's how it's going to be. She was waiting for this day to come, honestly. She and Sasuke were discreet but it's not like they were really trying to hide it anyway. Well maybe he was but she didn't care. She was happy with him so why should she have to hide it?

She saw this fated encounter as her chance to finally have all of him and none of his wife. How did they even last this long as a couple anyway? From what he told her, they never spent time together, partly because of her but if it wasn't her, it would've been someone else, she thinks. While he's at work, she stays at home and barely manages to put a decent meal on the table. Like seriously? No wonder her husband would rather spend time with her than his own wife. It's really sad actually.

And she knows that it's 'morally wrong' and 'good people don't do this type of thing' but she deserved to be happy, too. So, what if she had to take away someone else's happiness. That woman wasn't doing anything to keep her happiness anyway so she was just lifting the weight off her shoulders. If she thought about it, it was a win-win-win situation: she got her man, her man gets free of his marriage, and the soon-to-be ex-wife doesn't have to worry about cooking whatever mediocre meal she had planned for the next however many years their marriage would keep holding on to the bits of meaningless bullshit that never meant anything to begin with. Honestly, they should be thanking her after all of this is said and done. No matter what though, in just three days' time, she'd set that bitch straight and make her position known to her as Sasuke's new love and there's nothing she could do about it. Now all she had to do was plan her outfit.

It had been only two days since he had woken up to an empty house and he was already falling apart at the seams. He hadn't heard from her, not one text, not one call, nor hide nor silky pink hair. He had called all of their friends and none of them had heard from her either. Even when their friends started to ask what was wrong, he couldn't bring himself to admit his wrongdoings. He could only lie and say that she and just walked through the door. It was like she just disappeared without a trace and all he knew was that it was all his fault. He didn't know any other place she would be, and it drove him crazy. What could have happened for her to have left him so suddenly? He could admit that they didn't have the relationship they used to but she had no reason to leave like this.

He had cleaned up the mess he made in the kitchen and even called out from work. He couldn't focus on anything and he felt like complete shit and all he could do is sit on the couch he hadn't sat this long on for months. His hair is disheveled, his head hurts, and the only thing that seems to help ease his mind is the bottle of Hennessey that has yet to leave his hand for the past few hours. The only thoughts running through his head centered around how he could let it get this far? Why did she leave? What could he have done differently? Why was this happening to him?

And as he was just sitting on his couch, pondering the day away, he found himself feeling another emotion besides despair, self-loathing, and confusion. He realized that he felt extremely angry. Angry at himself, angry at his missing wife, angry at the damn mailman that he can hear rolling through the neighborhood. He brings the bottle to his lips and chugs the rest of it, feeling his throat burn and his stomach start to feel heavier, but he doesn't care. He knows what he can do to get his mind off of everything for a short time. It's not the best option by any means and if anything, when he's one, he'll be feeling even worse but right now, he's numb and has no time for sensible, coherent thinking. He walks to his bedroom and ready's himself for a shower.

Sakura knows that cannot regret her decisions and no matter how much she knows she will cry, she will be okay with it. Even though it took a push like this, she knows what she is worth and she knows that she should never accept anything than what she is owed. She knows for a fact that she deserves at the very least the same respect that she gives. If she is expected to uphold her vows, then so is the person who gave his own promises of love, respect, and honor right along with her.

Maybe she wasn't as happy as she used to be but there was no reason to give up trying. And maybe she shouldn't have had those papers ready for weeks now. Sure, she had them but she never thought she'd actually use them. It was hard day when she got them and it was purely on an anger and frustration fueled rampage. When she had calmed down, it was just something she decided to forget about and it seemed that keeping those papers in her drawer had worked out in the end, anyway. If there was one thing she never liked being called was a quitter but she saw this as a war she never wanted to have to fight in. Battles, she could handle, like a disagreement or a heated argument, but not a war with another woman over her own husband that didn't even have the balls to voice his frustrations to her face. And if he wasn't happy, then he should've just told her. Of course, she would've fought tooth and nail to work it out but she would've been able to handle it. But blatant disrespect for her and what they both worked hard to accomplish together would not be tolerated and she knew a loss when she saw one. She refused to fight for something that meant nothing anymore.

Her last non-court related moments dealing with this would be when she confronts the mistress, the woman who had half of her and could now keep it. She chose this and no matter what happens, she won't regret it because this is life and you can't dwell on the past. You can only, think about it, internalize the lesson it taught you, and move forward. These short years with Sasuke were not a waste, they were just a different path to where she will end up eventually. A new beginning, not an end.

When Sasuke arrives at her door in sweatpants and a white t-shirt, she answers the door, surprised but she lets him in. "What are you doing here?" she asks with a smile on her face. He's already taking off his shoes and lifting up his shirt and she just looks at him while she starts to feel heat pool in the bottom of her stomach. "Shut up," he says as he bends her over the back of the couch and starts what she knows he can finish, and finish well. She is willing for him and she basks in the thought that their love affair will no longer be just an affair come, what she has affectionately dubbed, D-Day.


End file.
